Report-1854, August 3 (A)

Transcribed proposal for the continuation of the Indian Manual Labor School by Thomas Johnson, Superintendent Manual Labor School to George Manypenny, Commissioner of Indian Affairs dated Aug 3, 1854

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Washington City
August 3rd 1854

Sir,

   If it is desired by the Government that the Fort Leavenworth Indian Manual Labor School should be continued for the education of Indian children I propose that it shall be done on the following terms

   1st The name shall be changed, and called in the future the Shawnee Manual Labor School.

   2nd We will educate any number of the Shawnee children between the ages of eight and sixteen they may choose to send to this school; provided the number shall at no time exceed seventy. We will board and clothe these children in a plain and comfortable manner. We will teach them the various branches usually taught in English schools, and in addition to this, we will teach them to work, so far as we can without interfering with their studies, during the usual school hours. We will teach the boys to work on the farm and such mechanical branches as are connected with farming interests, and also to manage and raise stock etc. We will teach the girls to sew, knit, cut+ make clothing, cook+ all the normal domestic duties suitable to their age. We will furnish the school with the necessary books and stationery. We will also furnish them (should they be sick) with medicine and medical attendance by a competent physician. We will keep the school in operation the usual length of time, which is six hours a day, for five days in each week+ ten months in the year – allowing two months for vacation.

   3rd For the above named services the Government shall pay us at the rate of six thousand dollars per annum+ to be paid as follows – the Missionary Society to be credited with one thousand dollars a year of the amount provided to be paid for the Reservation on which this school is located+ five thousand dollars a year (being the amount of the Shawnee School fund) to be paid in quarterly installments to the superintendent of the school by the agent having charge of the Shawnees; who shall have power (if he thinks the contract has not been complied with) to suspend payment until an investigation can be had.

   I propose in the second place to educate at this school (in the same manner as provided for the Shawnees) any number, not exceeding thirty at one time, of other Indian youths, to be selected by the Government, + for this service, the Government shall continue the present appropriation of two thousand five hundred dollars a year, out of civilization funds, and this sum to be paid to the superintendent of the school in quarterly installments, the same as for the Shawnees. The first quarterly payments to be made on the first day of October 1854 + then to continue to be made at the end of each quarter for ten years unless circumstances should so change as to render it necessary that the contract should be altered+ in that case the party desiring the alteration must give notice to the other party allowing a reasonable length of time,+ then the matter must be adjusted on principles of justice and equity

Respectfully submitted
Thos Johnson Supt
F.L. Ind. M.L. School
M.E. Church South

Hon Gearge Manypenny
Comr
Indian Affairs

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[Transcribed from National Archives microfilm Series M234, roll 787, frames 342-344 by Roger Berg Jr., May, 1992]